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Do You Know Your Horse Colors?

Quarter Horse Colors

The most common appearance of SORREL is a red body with a red mane and tail with no black points.

But the SORREL can have variations of both body color and mane and tail color, both areas having a base of red.

The mature body may be a bright red, deep red, or a darker red appearing almost as CHESTNUT, and any variation in between. The mane and tail are usually the same color as the body but may be blonde or flaxen.

Basically, a BAY has a general base color that ranges anywhere from a deep tan, to copper-red (similar to the color of SORREL), to a darker, brownish-red (similar to that of CHESTNUT).

Add to this the color black that is localized to the points (mane and tail, lower legs, tips and rims of ears).

As with other coat colors, there are variations of BAY. In addition to the RED color range of the body, a BAY may also have black covering or counter shading over most of the body giving it a sooty or smutty appearance.

Some BLACK horses will appear true black year round, retaining a black mane and tail as well as a black coat that will not sun-fade, regardless of the length of time left in the sun.

Some BLACK horses may appear true black if left indoors, but, if left outdoors for a lengthy period of time, the coat will then fade anywhere from a brown to reddish to a color so light it may appear a very dark or smutty buckskin.

RED DUN has a broad range of color combinations but will never have black points. The body color of the RED DUN ranges from pale red to gold or light tan, or any variation in between, all of which are diluted forms of RED.

On a BLACK horse with the ROAN gene added, white hair is mixed in with the base coat, leaving the lower legs, the mane and tail, and the head typically unaffected.

In extreme cases, however, a ROAN may have a concentration of hair above the eyes (but not located directly at the eyes nor immediately around them) appearing as though the horse had white eyebrows The concentration may also be found at the polls or